We all declare for liberty; but in using the same word we do not all mean the same thing. With some the word liberty may mean for each man to do as he pleases with himself and the product of his labor; while with others, the same word may mean for some men to do as they please with other mean, and the product of other men's labor. Here are two, not only different, but incompatible things, called by the same name—liberty. And it follows that each of the things is, by the respective parties, called by two different and incompatible names—liberty and tyranny.Abraham Lincoln, address in Baltimore, Maryland, April 18, 1864. From The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln, ed. Roy P. Basler, vol. 7, pp. 301–2 (1953).
Posted by Kurt Wall at 12:44 2009-12-06 | Trackbacks (0) | Comments (0)
Advice for President Carter (Politics)
Asked what he thought of Joe Wilson's ill-advised (but accurate) outburst last week, our esteemed former President Jimmy Carter said it was racist:
"I think it's based on racism," Carter said in response to an audience question at a town hall held at his presidential center in Atlanta. "There is an inherent feeling among many in this country that an African-American should not be president."
WTF? It would have been racist had Wilson said, "You lie, nigger!" But he didn't say that. I think we all agree Wilson's comment was, politely put, inappropriate and poorly-timed. To call it racist, though, is as far out of line as Wilson's comment. Hence, as one who frequently puts his foot in his mouth, I am qualified to offer this advice to President Carter: STFU.
Posted by Kurt Wall at 21:33 2009-09-15 | Trackbacks (0) | Comments (0)
Kurt Agrees with President Obama! Film at 11! (Politics)
President Obama called Kanye West a jackass for interrupting Taylor Swift's acceptance speech. I'd like to go on record and state that I agree with the President. Kanye West is a jackass. Actually, I think West is a horse's ass, but I think this country has had enough partisan squabbling. In this rare moment of bipartisanship, it is sufficient to note that, yes, the President and I agree: Kanye West is an ass.
Posted by Kurt Wall at 21:23 2009-09-15 | Trackbacks (0) | Comments (0)
The Patriot Act Blows (Politics)
…and blows and blows and blows.
This image, shamelessly stolen borrowed from The Pittsburgh Comet says it better than I ever could.
Posted by Kurt Wall at 21:59 2009-08-26 | Trackbacks (0) | Comments (0)
SmokeWerks is Gone (Politics)
SmokeWerks is dead. Long live SmokeWerks!
I've taken down my pages dealing with making your own cigarettes. The new campaign by anti-smoking nazis tobacco tax regime fell hardest on Class J tobacco, which is the class assigned to tobacco products used in roll-your-own/stuff-your-own cigarettes. The tax went up something over 2000%. The effect was that the vendor of my favorite tobaccos exited the the roll-your-own business. More generally, the prices of even the lousiest tobaccos doubled and tripled at the retail level. In terms of per-stick price, the cost of making your own and buying manufactured cigarettes is now approximately equal, rendering the time spent making your own smokes cost-ineffective (assuming you made your own as a cost-saving measure, which was not the case for me).
The price changes are not why I've taken down my MYO pages. Rather, I'm now encouraging everyone to quit smoking, not for health reasons but rather to deprive the government of the revenues they would derive from those taxes. Again, more generally, I will do everything legally within my power to deprive the elitist, arrogant tyrants in Washington of opportunities to confiscate my income to give to other people or to use for their own purposes, purposes of which I do not approve and which I will not support. I did not vote for the fascists in the present administration and will not support them.
Parenthetically, I hope that all of you who did vote for them are happy and satisfied — you are getting precisely the dry-fucking-in-the-ass for which you voted and the abridgment of your liberties that I and others told you would happen.
Posted by Kurt Wall at 11:09 2009-08-15 | Trackbacks (0) | Comments (0)
I Am Joe (Politics)
Yes, I'm a little late to this party, but, I Am Joe (tips o' the hat to iowahawk and Tammy Bruce).
My name's not Joe Wurzelbacher and I'm not a plumber. It's Kurt and I'm a computer geek, but when the Elite Left and the media attack Joe the Plumber for having the temerity to ask the f**king Obamassiah a specific question, then, dammit, I AM JOE.
Posted by Kurt Wall at 22:22 2009-01-24 | Trackbacks (0) | Comments (0)
On Gaza, Israel, and Civilian Casualties (Politics)
While I'm speaking my mind on politics, I might as well toss my incendiary comments on “the Gaza situation” into the arena.
In a phrase, screw 'em. I don't give a rat's ass about the plight of the Palestinians. I don't care who started it. I'd like to see Israel kill every last member of Hamas and Fatah. It works like this: If some so-called freedom fighter started launching rockets across the border from Tijuana into San Diego or from Juarez into El Paso, I'd expect my government to kick butt and take names and not stop until said freedom fighter was a grease spot and a bad memory. I wouldn't care about the justice of the grease spot's cause or all the injustices the gringo north has inflicted on him and his.
So it is in Gaza. Israel moved out, which is what Hamas wanted. That's not worked out really well, if only because it's given Hamas' terrorists (yes, that's actually repetitive) the ability to launch rockets and mortars farther and deeper into Israel. People seem surprised that Israel is fighting back so ferociously. It isn't rocket science, folks; Israel is fighting to remain alive. It is situated in the midst of countries with the stated goal of wiping Israel off the map. So much for the “religion of peace.”
I don't know how it works at your house, but if someone promises, even vows, to do everything in their power to kill me, I believe them and will take action appropriately. At that point, the situation has passed well beyond anything that talking is going to address.
Posted by Kurt Wall at 18:49 2009-01-21 | Trackbacks (0) | Comments (0)
Congratulations, President Obama (Politics)
So, we have a new President. Congratulations.
For the record, I'd like to point out that he is not black. He's bi-racial. So, while we're busy congratulating ourselves, let's not get too smug or congratulate ourselves too vigorously (actually, I can't do either of those because I didn't vote for him). On the other, let us all give thanks that we didn't elect Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton. Shudder. Can you imagine a ticket consisting of Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton? Shoot me now.
Meanwhile, back at the White House, I hope President Obama enjoys his honeymoon with the press. When the press and popular media get tired of their new toy, when bi-racial Executives are no longer the new hotness, the media will turn on him. I expect it will be sooner rather than later because the media are fickle navel-gazing and self-absorbed.
Not that I wish our new President ill. Quite the contrary, I wish him nothing but the best. But I'm quite sure he's not going to turn the economy around. President Obama might be able to help, might give things a nudge, but we won't tax and spend our way back to economic vitality. Regardless, I'm not posting to slam our new President's economic policy. Rather, I'm just observing that he has feet of clay, which fact the media will shortly realize or remember. Once that happens and/or the disappointment sets in, it isn't going to be pretty.
Posted by Kurt Wall at 22:02 2009-01-20 | Trackbacks (0) | Comments (0)